tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post6535553412175739146..comments2017-12-13T20:47:32.016-05:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: TUESDAY, Dec. 4, 2007 - Alison DonaldRex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-78217016986831489792008-01-15T20:57:00.000-05:002008-01-15T20:57:00.000-05:00What's with Jerry20020's comment "A string for a t...What's with Jerry20020's comment "A string for a top? How about a wand for a hoop? Just look in the toy museum of the 19th century." 6 weeks back?<BR/><BR/>I grew up (albeit in war-impoverished England) in the late 1940's and distinctly remember playing with a hoop and wand. Lotta fun too, Jerry20020 and definitely not 19th century!<BR/><BR/>I don't think I've ever encountered an easier Tuesday puzzle. Abbott budded early which immediately solved the blurb. <BR/><BR/>BTW, how did the "NOTE" heading the clues become a "blurb" within the theme clues? Why not the same term? And within the note/blurb itself, what was the point of "missing"? I needlessly kept looking for a place on the grid to insert BUD because of it!Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53731711021108309702008-01-15T18:44:00.000-05:002008-01-15T18:44:00.000-05:00Another voice from six-weeks land, though here (Hu...Another voice from six-weeks land, though here (Huntsville AL) we think of it as outer space. In my newspaper there was no title printed. That had the effect of making a Tuesday puzzle a bit more interesting than usual.Ebenezerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02330342028552279067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-50151899517497281532008-01-14T14:15:00.000-05:002008-01-14T14:15:00.000-05:00I'm here in 6-weeks-out-land, where we had a twist...I'm here in 6-weeks-out-land, where we had a twist! Local Bend, OR paper printed the Dec 4 puzzle today (Monday, Jan 14). So I breezed through a Tuesday puzzle in 20 minutes (good for me), thinking it was a Monday-easy one. My paper printed the blurb, and I (wrongly) thought it was "pal" until I got the Bud Abbot answer. I'm getting better as solving by reading Rex's blog every day, and I enjoy everyone's erudite comments.MaryORnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-40297557454788661392007-12-05T04:15:00.000-05:002007-12-05T04:15:00.000-05:00This was a hard puzzle to present online. The prin...This was a hard puzzle to present online. The print version had an actual blurb, but that was too big to put in an Across Lite title, so it had to go in the Notepad (which doesn't help if you've printed out the puzzle). The applet couldn't handle a long blurb, so it got a brief title.Ellenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09699703443886498884noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-66633103183568417672007-12-05T02:31:00.000-05:002007-12-05T02:31:00.000-05:00Huzzah!Huzzah!Xword guynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-26081993228262564652007-12-04T21:21:00.000-05:002007-12-04T21:21:00.000-05:00Apropos of nothing but all ye who are sickened by ...Apropos of nothing but all ye who are sickened by Trump. (If your majesty would permit a rant... this late, few will see it anyway)<BR/><BR/>I had great joy last week when i read that Donald's $2bn plan to turn a rough and wonderful hunk of shoreline north of Aberdeen into another rich guys' playground was shot down by the shire's council. It was killed in no small part because one stubborn farmer refused to very profitably sell his family land for a golf course.<BR/><BR/>BUT, today, big government decided (unprecedentedly, it seems) to bigfoot Aberdeenshire in order to give the man with bad hair what he wants. <BR/><BR/>I really prefer the image of Scots like those depicted in Braveheart mooning Trump than one of their central government kowtowing to him.<A HREF="http://news.scotsman.com/aberdeen.cfm?id=1896522007" REL="nofollow">click here or google "trump aberdeen" to be filled with fresh new disgust!.</A><BR/>OTOH we know how Braveheart ended.<BR/><BR/>re puzzle: I thought I was so clever and fast. I was still looking for the three letter word I could insert in the theme answers to tie them together. What an ox!anoanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-20036548373557113642007-12-04T20:08:00.000-05:002007-12-04T20:08:00.000-05:00Rikki -- saw the seals yesterday, amazing. The wa...Rikki -- saw the seals yesterday, amazing. The waves were huge this morning, could easily have been 25 feet, but didn't see anyone out there trying them. <BR/><BR/>Orange/jerry 20020 -- thanks for the info on joky, it looked odd to me but now I have some additional context.jaenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-28249274211414753912007-12-04T19:45:00.001-05:002007-12-04T19:45:00.001-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Orangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-44487278918931135432007-12-04T19:45:00.000-05:002007-12-04T19:45:00.000-05:00Ah, but see, Rafael, those shortened words are par...Ah, but see, Rafael, those shortened words are part of what makes the English language colorful. Carbs, execs, a veep—these are not the same stale words that have appeared in thousands upon thousands of crosswords. If you slash these words from the list of what's suitable crossword fill, we're going to be left with more ERIE, OONA, and ALAR—flavorless, dry, boring.<BR/><BR/>Rex usually has more productive work to be doing than I do—so I'll tell you on his behalf that he and I have been making Santa-like lists all year of our favorite puzzles. We'll do some sort of "Ebert & Roeper" year-end wrap-up of the best ones in various categories and presumably cross-post it at both of our blogs. (Confidential to Rex: Crap! We need to start pulling this together soon.)Orangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-3969778890258389672007-12-04T19:10:00.000-05:002007-12-04T19:10:00.000-05:00enjoyable, but really too easy even for a Tuesday....enjoyable, but really too easy even for a Tuesday.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04700426644898924644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-10889034026791897832007-12-04T18:52:00.000-05:002007-12-04T18:52:00.000-05:00This was alright for a Tuesday, but I think the wh...This was alright for a Tuesday, but I think the whole business was just a kind of lame way of saying "I couldn't fit BUD into the puzzle, so I'm going to make a trick out of trying to figure it out". I would have been completely satisfied if the clues had all just been BUD - the theme is clear from that.<BR/><BR/>I agree with ron g., I wouldn't mind seeing a best-of (and worst-of?) 2007 puzzledom. Add to the pantheon, and whatnot.Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03345623954861334689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-54572701439879727182007-12-04T18:30:00.000-05:002007-12-04T18:30:00.000-05:00Finningans Wake use of 'joky':'Shem is as short fo...Finningans Wake use of 'joky':<BR/><BR/>'Shem is as short for Shamus as Jem is joky for Jacob'.<BR/><BR/>It sticks in the mind.<BR/><BR/>I used the aplet and knew nothing about a notepad entry or any of that.<BR/><BR/>Afterwards I tried to find some connection between the words and<BR/>could find none.<BR/><BR/>Without you Rex, I'd be in the dark and perplexed.Jerry20020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-46905059744229057492007-12-04T18:20:00.000-05:002007-12-04T18:20:00.000-05:00Joky -- I remember a phrase from Finnigans Wake --...Joky -- I remember a phrase from Finnigans Wake -- something like 'gem was joky'. In the ALP chapter.<BR/><BR/>I havn't even seen a top in decades and never have I seen one with a string. I remember when we were really little twisting the top stem of them.<BR/><BR/>A string for a top? How about a wand for a hoop? Just look in the toy museum of the 19th century.Jerry20020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-34895522288346964922007-12-04T18:11:00.000-05:002007-12-04T18:11:00.000-05:00Sorry for the double Rex but I just had to add tha...Sorry for the double Rex but I just had to add that having Orange respond to a post (even with a slap) makes my day. Thanks Orange. Oh yeah and death to all shortened words!!rafaelthatmfnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37198196857149818852007-12-04T17:51:00.000-05:002007-12-04T17:51:00.000-05:00Rex,Have you given any thought to doing any sort o...Rex,<BR/><BR/>Have you given any thought to doing any sort of year in review? I know it's a tad cliché, but it could be a lot of fun, and a great way for people new to the blog, like myself, to get up to speed.Rob G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01040821037447962050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-53427803348986042702007-12-04T17:46:00.000-05:002007-12-04T17:46:00.000-05:00Bus.=businessRes.=residentialThey could refer, e.g...Bus.=business<BR/>Res.=residential<BR/><BR/>They could refer, e.g., to sections of a phone book.GKnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36225670195231913962007-12-04T17:42:00.000-05:002007-12-04T17:42:00.000-05:00Whaddya mean Rafael, about no longer being cool? ...Whaddya mean Rafael, about no longer being cool? Those ladies were digging on you I'm sure. Inksmanship on a grid is sexier than Manhattan real estate development these days. Had the same sort of rush just recently from some tourist babes when I was ripping through a puzzle in a little plaza.<BR/><BR/>Much cooler than when I fumbled with the string on my top -- yeah I remember the independently spinning Teflon tip, too -- or even more clumsily with my stylish Gyroscope. I would pull so hard the part that was supposed to whiz in rotation usually flew out of the contraption and skittered across the floor, impressing no-one.<BR/><BR/>Rikki -- are you referring to Ano Neuvo? Been there a couple of times for class trips to watch the elephant seals being born. Especially appealing on a rainy day ... and I, too, am stoked about the major swell. Heading out soon.<BR/><BR/>See blurb; yeah, that wasn't worth the effort. As my young niece once said, "that's worth more trouble than it is."<BR/><BR/>Thought a QUARTO was what was billed as a FOLIO, though apparently they don't seem to differ. My dictionary doesn't say they're the same; it just gives them virtually the same defintion.<BR/><BR/>And not till today did I stop to think that a Corrida must be a bullring. Always thought it must be some Spanish town.Fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-8909857565911299612007-12-04T17:31:00.000-05:002007-12-04T17:31:00.000-05:00Don't understand bus.=res.Can someone please enlig...Don't understand bus.=res.Can someone please enlighten me.Alanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15447162545694461366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-2235359213580904532007-12-04T17:26:00.000-05:002007-12-04T17:26:00.000-05:00And Doc John, yes, joky is a word.And Doc John, yes, <A HREF="http://www.answers.com/joky&r=67" REL="nofollow">joky is a word</A>.Orangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-23962056120220461032007-12-04T17:25:00.000-05:002007-12-04T17:25:00.000-05:00Rafael, I think you'll be much happier if you let ...Rafael, I think you'll be much happier if you let go of that expectation that shortened words that are used without periods (and hence are no longer abbreviations) are going to be clued as abbreviations. You're simply not going to change the conventions used by Will Shortz and his peers any more than if you complained that you'd prefer that all clues be in pig Latin. Really.Orangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-4152516448768147282007-12-04T17:01:00.000-05:002007-12-04T17:01:00.000-05:00My strategy for clues like "???" or "see blurb" is...My strategy for clues like "???" or "see blurb" is to just ignore them and try to divine them from the crosses (of course, an early week puzzle makes it easier to do that).<BR/><BR/>I'm only 46 but I do remember tops with strings and had several that I played with as a kid. There was even a demonstration from a top champion at the local Woolworth's.<BR/><BR/>No comments on JOKY yet. Is that even a word? Oh well, at least my first choice, FAKE, gave me the K for KISS. <BR/><BR/>MACKS- Nice to see another answer for "some big trucks" other than SEMIS.<BR/><BR/>And, just like Rex, Morris the Cat immediately came to mind with FINICKY.Doc Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-62720835795400359972007-12-04T15:43:00.000-05:002007-12-04T15:43:00.000-05:00I print my puzzles from Across Lite and do them by...I print my puzzles from Across Lite and do them by hand, which puts "See Notepad" next to the date. Being a Tuesday, I decided to see what I could do without looking at it.<BR/><BR/>And I'm very glad I did. Solved the whole puzzle without even thinking about the theme clues, and I can tell I would have been very confused by the notepad. "Missing" word? What? It's not missing from anywhere. Except perhaps from the book of needlessly convoluted/not particularly interesting crossword themes it was taken from. Why couldn't the themes all be clued "Bud"?<BR/><BR/>I've disliked both of this week's puzzles! Bring on a Wednesday worth coming into work for!Rob G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01040821037447962050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35355926989697293052007-12-04T15:42:00.000-05:002007-12-04T15:42:00.000-05:00So I got stuck on yoyo and could not think of a to...So I got stuck on yoyo and could not think of a top or a dreidle And, as I have had no TV for as long as I can remember I thought it was Greg and Dharla. In short an obtuse day that has me longing for a minty drink.<BR/><BR/>Peter, isn't Fabio a lipsync guy?dknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-45194560930317004612007-12-04T14:44:00.001-05:002007-12-04T14:44:00.001-05:00The preamble about the 3 letter word got my hopes ...The preamble about the 3 letter word got my hopes up – only to have a Mondayesque puzzle dampen them. I did like most of the clues/answers (except 36A of course – when did pasta get loaded with carbon? Or was it carburetors? Ooooohhhhh carbs is a shortened form of carbohydrates. Insert standard objection here) and got a severe geek rush when I overheard the ladies sitting next to me at the coffee shop remark about how fast I completed the puzzle; and in ink! At least I no longer suffer from delusions of being “cool”. (Superfluous quotes or not?)rafaelthatmfnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-36138152569473117902007-12-04T14:44:00.000-05:002007-12-04T14:44:00.000-05:00The preamble about the 3 letter word got my hopes ...The preamble about the 3 letter word got my hopes up – only to have a Mondayesque puzzle dampen them. I did like most of the clues/answers (except 36A of course – when did pasta get loaded with carbon? Or was it carburetors? Ooooohhhhh carbs is a shortened form of carbohydrates. Insert standard objection here) and got a severe geek rush when I overheard the ladies sitting next to me at the coffee shop remark about how fast I completed the puzzle; and in ink! At least I no longer suffer from delusions of being “cool”. (Superfluous quotes or not?)rafaelthatmfnoreply@blogger.com